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The dark Internet,[1] dark address, lost net, dark address space, or sparse darknets[1][2] refers to network hosts on the Internet that are hidden.[1]

The dark Internet should not be confused with DarkNet or Dark Web , which refer to hard-to-find websites and secretive networks that are not accessible from the Surface Web. The dark internet's size can't be measured, however it's estimated that it's 500 times larger than the Surface Web.[3][4] Also, in comparison to the DarkNet, the data on the dark Internet are generally harmless in nature, being kept off the internet simply because they are data which most people will not need or search for anyway. In the media there is a big confusion between these two, as the DarkNet is a part of the dark internet, but there has been a high number of media coverage regarding the DarkNet and this has to led many confusions.[5] On the main reason that the dark internet is used is to store important information and data away from the public,as the general public will not be able to access these networks, thus having a safer environment for data.

The elements of the Dark Internet

The dark internet is made of different elements, which include:[6]

  • Blocked sites
  • Private sites
  • Tor
  • Freenet
  • Unlinked sites
  • I2P
  • Limited-access networks

Dark Internet (also referred as Deep web) vs Dark Net

The difference between Deep web and the Surface web

There is a difference between the dark internet and the Darknet, but there is also the surface web, which are the sites that everyone can easily access, using the web address of the site and by using search engines, such as Google.com,[7] the main difference is that the Dark Internet can be accessed by any user on the internet, however these hosts are hidden from the general public and can only accessed by the people who have created them and the people that know the location of the host. However, the DarkNet is a part of the dark internet, but it's mainly used for illegal activities, such as drug trafficking, sales of weaponry etc., which are sold on the DarkNet market.[8] There is a big confusion between these two, because the names are similar and many websites, books and other sources use the name interchangeably. Numerous news and articles addressed the DarkNet over the past few years, ranging from headlines on TV to documentaries being made about the topic. The reason for this is due to the content that can be found on the DarkNet and because people are surprised of this part of the internet. Jamie Bartlett, the author of The Dark Net: Inside the Digital Underworld[9], starts his book with this sentence " I have head rumors about this website, but I still cannot quite believe that it exists". This sentences is purposely written like this to make the readers think more about the topic and make them wonder about this "website", which in fact is overlay network, that requires a specific software to reach, the software that used to reach the DarkNet, which is commonly known as Tor. [10] Whereas Dark Internet are hidden websites in the internet, where data and information are stored in many different formats, ranging from governmental data to scientific studies, in various formats, which may include written documents as well as images. It's important to make people aware of the difference between these two, because they are intended for different purposes.

Dark Internet vs Surface web

It's estimated that the surface web only accounts for 4% of the internet and that dark internet accounts for the rest, which is 96%.[11] As of 2001, it was estimated that the surface web had 19 TB of content and around 1 billion individuals, whereas the rest of the internet was believed to have 7500+ TB of content and over 550 billion unique documents.[12][13] Everyday these numbers are increasing and more data is being stored on the surface as well as on the dark internet, due to the fact that it's become easier and cheaper to set up networks hosts on servers, meaning more sites can be created.One of the main difference between dark internet websites and the surface websites is that surface websites are indexed by search engine such as Google, Yahoo!, etc.[14] Another difference between these two are that the surface web has static and fixed website pages, which mean that they are stored on a server and they are also accessed form that server and if the website require any changes then the change will be made on the html code and new code will be uploaded on the server. However, the sites on the dark internet have dynamic pages, which means that the page will use an application, which will read a database and that database will contain the required information to construct the html code, in order to produce the webpage, thus this makes them hidden, therefore search engines can't track these sites.[15][16] The dark internet is also more safer than the surface web, this is because networks are hidden,[3] thus it will be harder for them to be hacked and there would be less of a chance for the data being stolen and leaked, nonetheless having data stored on the dark internet does not mean it's not guaranteed that it won't be hacked.

Uses of the Dark Internet

There are many reasons why the dark internet exists

  • To store private data that shouldn't be accessed by the public, e.g. secret governmental documents, US military.[17]
  • Scientific research, which may be kept off the surface web due to security measures.[18]
  • Academic resources, detailed research resources e.g. used by academicians.[19]
  • Illegal activities e.g. sale of drugs, using the DarkNet.[20]
  • Cyber crime, such as information and tutorials on how to hack computers and networks, shared account details e.g. usernames and passwords for various accounts, such as Netflix.[21]
  • Information leakage, such as leaking information from governmental agencies such as, FBI, NASA, that shouldn't be available to the public.
  • Sharing files e.g. with other internet dark internet users.
  • Human right activist and their opinions that are shared with each other[22]
  • Journalists and their research, that can't be shared on the surface web as it may contain sensitive information[22]

Dangers of the Dark Internet

Tor

Tor logo

The dark internet was intended to store data that most people didn't need, which meant that these data didn't impose any threats or danger to anyone or to an organization. However, Darknet has created various dangers. One of the main problems is that users can access the DarkNet using a special software, called Tor (The Onion Router), which is " the largest global online anonymity network"[23][24] and allows users to access the area of the dark internet where illegal activities take place. Tor was initially developed by the US military, and the people (government agencies) that created Tor are now trying to stop it are spending a lot of money trying to accomplish this goal.

Tor Timeline:[23][24]

  • 1995: Research started by US Naval Lab (NRL) about Tor and US Office of Naval Research funds the project.
  • 1996: Proof-of-concept developed.
  • 1997: Defense Advanced Research Agency also contributes to do funding.
  • 1998 :Testing begins on NRL'S website.
  • 2000: Onion routing is patented.
  • 2003: Tor code is released under an open source license.
  • 2006: Tor takes the first step to become a non- profit organisation, thus releases it's financial reports to the public.
  • 2007:The illegal activities that were being carried using TOR is heard and government agencies are notified.
  • 2010: It's being reported that Wikileaks preventing communication on Tor, however Wikileaks denied that.
  • 2012: The Farmer's Market, which was an online drug sales hub, is taken down by US Drug Enforcement Administration.[25][26]
  • 2013: Edward Snowden leaks National Security Agency (NSA) documents using Tor, FBI shuts down Silk Road (marketplace). which was the largest DarkNet market that sold various items such as weapons, drugs and important data that was stolen from various sources.[27]
  • 2014: Tor warns users that there has been tracking of their hidden services and collection of user data by the Software Engineering Institute for five months.
Various types of drugs can be purchased through the Darknet using Tor (anonymity network)

Illegal activities

One of the main illegal activities that take place are drug sales. There are many sites with various type of drugs on sale. These sites can include the drug name, images and quantities that are sold. In theory, a user can select the drug they want, add it to their shopping cart and get it delivered to their home. Payments for all transactions on the Darknet are made using Bitcoins.[28][29] Another illegal activity that takes place on the DarkNet is Hacking; this is done in two ways. One way is by sharing account details, which means another user will hack an account e.g.Netflix, Uber company,[30] bank accounts, social media accounts (Facebook,Twitter) or even phone operator customer details.[31] Then they will distribute the account details on the DarkNet on forums and various sites on the DarkNet, which is a part of the dark internet, sometimes for free and sometime for a fee, which is paid using Bitcoin. Another way that hacking is done on the DarkNet is by showing users how to hack and also providing them with the tools they need to hack certain accounts and networks.

The dark internet also stores sensitive data that may not be involved with illegal activities. However, if the wrong people access this data, then problems may occur. For example, if a scientist uploads research material based on a new finding onto the dark internet and if others access it, then they can use this research negatively by either claiming that they own the research or misusing the research to cause harm.

Other illegal activities include:

  • False documents, such as forged passports, fake qualifications, fake driving licenses.[32]
  • Counterfeit money, high quality counterfeit notes, which are said to pass UV light tests.[33]
  • Hiring a hitman to assassinate someone.[34]

See also

References

  1. ^ a b c "Expedition to the Lost Net". BBC News. December 26, 2001.
  2. ^ Harrop, Warren; Armitage, Grenville J. (November 17, 2005). "Defining and Evaluating Greynets (Sparse Darknets)". The IEEE Conference on Local Computer Networks, 2005. IEEE Computer Society Press. pp. 344–50. doi:10.1109/LCN.2005.46. ISBN 0-7695-2421-4. ISSN 0742-1303.
  3. ^ a b "How the Internet Works: The Deep Web | InformIT". www.informit.com. Retrieved 2015-11-04.
  4. ^ "surface Web Definition from PC Magazine Encyclopedia". www.pcmag.com. https://plus.google.com/109293916965448553143. Retrieved 2015-11-04. {{cite web}}: External link in |publisher= (help)
  5. ^ "Clearing Up Confusion - Deep Web vs. Dark Web - dataasaservice -BrightPlanet". BrightPlanet. Retrieved 2015-11-04.
  6. ^ "From Tor to Ulbricht: The Deep Web Timeline - Security News - Trend Micro USA". www.trendmicro.com. Retrieved 2015-11-04.
  7. ^ "Clearing Up Confusion - Deep Web vs. Dark Web - dataasaservice -BrightPlanet". BrightPlanet. Retrieved 2015-10-31.
  8. ^ "What Is The Dark Web?". IFLScience. Retrieved 2015-11-04.
  9. ^ "'The Dark Net: Inside the Digital Underworld'". Henry Jackson Society. Retrieved 2015-11-01.
  10. ^ "Frequently Asked Questions about the Darknet". theanonymousinternet.tumblr.com. Retrieved 2015-11-01.
  11. ^ "7 Things You Didn't Know about the Deep Web". LinkedIn Pulse. 2015-07-02. Retrieved 2015-10-31.
  12. ^ Bergman, Michael K. (2001-08-01). "White Paper: The Deep Web: Surfacing Hidden Value". The Journal of Electronic Publishing. 7 (1). doi:10.3998/3336451.0007.104.
  13. ^ "Exploring The Depths Of The Deep Web - Infographics : IdleList". Infographics : IdleList. Retrieved 2015-11-01.
  14. ^ "What is surface web?". www.computerhope.com. Retrieved 2015-11-01.
  15. ^ "The Surface Web". Dark Side of the Web. Retrieved 2015-11-01.
  16. ^ "Dynamic Pages And Search Engines". Search Engine Watch. https://plus.google.com/117807232814593418955. Retrieved 2015-11-01. {{cite web}}: External link in |publisher= (help)
  17. ^ "What is Darknet or Deepnet? How to Access & Precautions". The Windows Club. https://plus.google.com/b/103148237334381859790/103148237334381859790/about. Retrieved 2015-11-01. {{cite web}}: External link in |publisher= (help)
  18. ^ "http://www.sciencedaily.com/releases/2015/05/150523100942.htm". www.sciencedaily.com. Retrieved 2015-11-01. {{cite web}}: External link in |title= (help)
  19. ^ "Researchers to Spotlight Darknets at Black Hat". PCWorld. Retrieved 2015-11-02.
  20. ^ "Dark net: what lurks beneath the surface of the internet?". The Week UK. Retrieved 2015-11-02.
  21. ^ "The Darknet is Thriving & Diversifying with Cybercrime-as-a-Service". Damballa. Retrieved 2015-11-02.
  22. ^ a b "Going Dark: The Internet Behind The Internet". NPR.org. Retrieved 2015-11-04.
  23. ^ a b "The Secret History of Tor". Information Security Buzz. Retrieved 2015-11-03.
  24. ^ a b "Follow the Money: How the US Government Funds Tor". Who Is Hosting This: The Blog. Retrieved 2015-11-03.
  25. ^ "US busts online drugs ring Farmer's Market". BBC News. Retrieved 2015-11-03.
  26. ^ Vaas, Lisa. "Tor-hidden online narcotics store, 'The Farmer's Market', brought down in multinational sting". Naked Security. Retrieved 2015-11-03.
  27. ^ "FBI shuts down Silk Road website". BBC News. Retrieved 2015-11-03.
  28. ^ "How To Buy Illegal Drugs On The Internet". thrillist. Retrieved 2015-11-03.
  29. ^ "Bitcoin - Open source P2P money". bitcoin.org. Retrieved 2015-11-03.
  30. ^ https://plus.google.com/111886853072114925202/posts. "Thousands of Hacked Uber Accounts Selling on Dark Web for $1". The Hacker News. https://plus.google.com/112788764123005028625. Retrieved 2015-11-03. {{cite web}}: |last= has generic name (help); External link in |last= and |publisher= (help)CS1 maint: numeric names: authors list (link)
  31. ^ "Hacked T-Mobile Records For Sale For $1 Apiece On Dark Net, Payable In Bitcoin". International Business Times. Retrieved 2015-11-03.
  32. ^ "Most Of The Web Is Invisible To Google. Here's What It Contains". Popular Science. Retrieved 2015-11-04.
  33. ^ "5 Scary Things Anyone Can Buy In The Darknet's Illegal Markets". A Plus. Retrieved 2015-11-04.
  34. ^ "Searching for a hitman in the Deep Web". The Daily Dot. https://plus.google.com/117475421660021956666. Retrieved 2015-11-04. {{cite web}}: External link in |publisher= (help)
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